Claim: The best test of an argument is its ability to convince someone with an opposing viewpoint.
Reason: Only by being forced to defend an idea against the doubts and contrasting views of others does one really discover the value of that idea.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim and the reason on which that claim is based.
As any evaluator of the GRE essay section may tell you, arguments are most strengthened when they consider possible counterpoints and then refute all of them. In the real world, however, people are not ‘grading’ arguments, but are shaping their own perceptions of things based on arguments made, and evidence shown to them. When an argument is made in an attempt to change someone’s mind, simply stating its case is not enough; the argument must also refute their preconceived notions of what they believe to be true, and why they were initially against the argument’s conclusion. In my opinion, I strongly agree with the claim made by the prompt. The power of an argument lies in its ability to convince; to evaluate an argument, one must consider not only the claims it makes, but also the way it takes into account the views of the opposing side. There are two aspects of this issue that must be considered and explored in further detail.
First, if an argument is not built with the intention of convincing someone with an opposing viewpoint, then it runs the risk of not addressing the other side. If an argument is purely made based on its own apparent pros, without any considerations of the opposition’s cons, then the argument’s power to persuade is weakened. To a neutral party, such an argument would prove rather unconvincing, compared to one that refutes the claims of the opposing side. Consider the situation during the COVID-19 pandemic, when some groups of people were in staunch opposition to vaccinations, citing studies with no scientific consensus, calling themselves the ‘anti-vax’ movement. Before the pandemic, they were largely under the radar, and hence were never forced to get into debates on the topic. As the pandemic progressed, the number of people who were ‘anti-vax’ has gone down, as per multiple surveys. People who were worried that the vaccinations would have adverse effects on them, or those who were scared of it, would engage in debate on the topic, where both sides would present their evidence, and attempt to prove that the other side has a false opinion. A lot of these people, when presented with evidence of vaccination efficacy, and evidence that refuted their old beliefs of vaccine-caused autism, gradually changed their minds, and took the vaccine. This example shows how, when an argument is made, taking into account what statements the other side claims to be true, and the validity of those statements, it becomes significantly more convincing.
Second, a common misconception regarding this prompt is that after a debate, people immediately change their minds. Most people would be convinced of a position if they are presented with a series of arguments in its favour, which comprehensively breaks down the issue, with all possible lines of reasoning. Hasan Piker, a live-streamer on the video-streaming platform Twitch, is a political commentator and variety-streamer, who covers multiple topics, and interacts with his ‘chat’ about various topics, and the ongoing ‘hot topics’ at the time. Many of his viewers may not agree with him on his political views, but a lot of them have changed their minds gradually over a large span of time. Hasan often makes arguments in a logical manner, laying out all the parts of the conversation, and refuting claims that are against his position, by using substantiative evidence. He has had multiple debates with other streamers; although he may not be the right one in every argument, he still manages to present a thorough and well-thought-out case for himself. In fact, having to defend an idea against doubts and contrasting views may even cause the arguer to bring out more convincing points, in their attempts to make a well-rounded case.
In conclusion, the best test of an argument is its ability to convince those having opposing views. If the stated reason proves untrue, and the argument does not refute any counterpoints, the claim itself remains true: If a person having an opposing view is convinced otherwise, the argument is very well crafted.
| Post date | Users | Rates | Link to Content |
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Comments
Essay evaluations by e-grader
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 5, column 724, Rule ID: IN_A_X_MANNER[1]
Message: Consider replacing "in a logical manner" with adverb for "logical"; eg, "in a hasty manner" with "hastily".
...an of time. Hasan often makes arguments in a logical manner, laying out all the parts of the conver...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
also, but, first, hence, however, if, may, regarding, second, so, still, then, well, in conclusion, in fact, in my opinion
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 29.0 19.5258426966 149% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 12.0 12.4196629213 97% => OK
Conjunction : 20.0 14.8657303371 135% => OK
Relative clauses : 18.0 11.3162921348 159% => OK
Pronoun: 55.0 33.0505617978 166% => Less pronouns wanted
Preposition: 95.0 58.6224719101 162% => OK
Nominalization: 27.0 12.9106741573 209% => Less nominalizations (nouns with a suffix like: tion ment ence ance) wanted.
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 3425.0 2235.4752809 153% => OK
No of words: 671.0 442.535393258 152% => Less content wanted.
Chars per words: 5.1043219076 5.05705443957 101% => OK
Fourth root words length: 5.08956458786 4.55969084622 112% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.90518996471 2.79657885939 104% => OK
Unique words: 335.0 215.323595506 156% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.499254843517 0.4932671777 101% => OK
syllable_count: 1050.3 704.065955056 149% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.6 1.59117977528 101% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 6.0 6.24550561798 96% => OK
Article: 9.0 4.99550561798 180% => OK
Subordination: 12.0 3.10617977528 386% => Less adverbial clause wanted.
Conjunction: 15.0 1.77640449438 844% => Less conjunction wanted as sentence beginning.
Preposition: 11.0 4.38483146067 251% => Less preposition wanted as sentence beginnings.
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 24.0 20.2370786517 119% => OK
Sentence length: 27.0 23.0359550562 117% => OK
Sentence length SD: 51.2314329511 60.3974514979 85% => OK
Chars per sentence: 142.708333333 118.986275619 120% => OK
Words per sentence: 27.9583333333 23.4991977007 119% => OK
Discourse Markers: 5.08333333333 5.21951772744 97% => OK
Paragraphs: 4.0 4.97078651685 80% => OK
Language errors: 1.0 7.80617977528 13% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 10.0 10.2758426966 97% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 10.0 5.13820224719 195% => OK
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 4.0 4.83258426966 83% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.344186607403 0.243740707755 141% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.101365542712 0.0831039109588 122% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.102876791473 0.0758088955206 136% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.23111735082 0.150359130593 154% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.0552500262326 0.0667264976115 83% => OK
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 16.6 14.1392134831 117% => OK
flesch_reading_ease: 44.07 48.8420337079 90% => OK
smog_index: 8.8 7.92365168539 111% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 13.8 12.1743820225 113% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 12.6 12.1639044944 104% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 8.79 8.38706741573 105% => OK
difficult_words: 162.0 100.480337079 161% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 13.5 11.8971910112 113% => OK
gunning_fog: 12.8 11.2143820225 114% => OK
text_standard: 14.0 11.7820224719 119% => OK
What are above readability scores?
---------------------
Write the essay in 30 minutes.
Better to have 5/6 paragraphs with 3/4 arguments. And try always support/against one side but compare two sides, like this:
para 1: introduction
para 2: reason 1. address both of the views presented for reason 1
para 3: reason 2. address both of the views presented for reason 2
para 4: reason 3. address both of the views presented for reason 3
para 5: reason 4. address both of the views presented for reason 4 (optional)
para 6: conclusion.
Rates: 66.67 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 4.0 Out of 6
---------------------
Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.
Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 5, column 724, Rule ID: IN_A_X_MANNER[1]
Message: Consider replacing "in a logical manner" with adverb for "logical"; eg, "in a hasty manner" with "hastily".
...an of time. Hasan often makes arguments in a logical manner, laying out all the parts of the conver...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
also, but, first, hence, however, if, may, regarding, second, so, still, then, well, in conclusion, in fact, in my opinion
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 29.0 19.5258426966 149% => OK
Auxiliary verbs: 12.0 12.4196629213 97% => OK
Conjunction : 20.0 14.8657303371 135% => OK
Relative clauses : 18.0 11.3162921348 159% => OK
Pronoun: 55.0 33.0505617978 166% => Less pronouns wanted
Preposition: 95.0 58.6224719101 162% => OK
Nominalization: 27.0 12.9106741573 209% => Less nominalizations (nouns with a suffix like: tion ment ence ance) wanted.
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 3425.0 2235.4752809 153% => OK
No of words: 671.0 442.535393258 152% => Less content wanted.
Chars per words: 5.1043219076 5.05705443957 101% => OK
Fourth root words length: 5.08956458786 4.55969084622 112% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.90518996471 2.79657885939 104% => OK
Unique words: 335.0 215.323595506 156% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.499254843517 0.4932671777 101% => OK
syllable_count: 1050.3 704.065955056 149% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.6 1.59117977528 101% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 6.0 6.24550561798 96% => OK
Article: 9.0 4.99550561798 180% => OK
Subordination: 12.0 3.10617977528 386% => Less adverbial clause wanted.
Conjunction: 15.0 1.77640449438 844% => Less conjunction wanted as sentence beginning.
Preposition: 11.0 4.38483146067 251% => Less preposition wanted as sentence beginnings.
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 24.0 20.2370786517 119% => OK
Sentence length: 27.0 23.0359550562 117% => OK
Sentence length SD: 51.2314329511 60.3974514979 85% => OK
Chars per sentence: 142.708333333 118.986275619 120% => OK
Words per sentence: 27.9583333333 23.4991977007 119% => OK
Discourse Markers: 5.08333333333 5.21951772744 97% => OK
Paragraphs: 4.0 4.97078651685 80% => OK
Language errors: 1.0 7.80617977528 13% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 10.0 10.2758426966 97% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 10.0 5.13820224719 195% => OK
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 4.0 4.83258426966 83% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.344186607403 0.243740707755 141% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.101365542712 0.0831039109588 122% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.102876791473 0.0758088955206 136% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.23111735082 0.150359130593 154% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.0552500262326 0.0667264976115 83% => OK
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 16.6 14.1392134831 117% => OK
flesch_reading_ease: 44.07 48.8420337079 90% => OK
smog_index: 8.8 7.92365168539 111% => OK
flesch_kincaid_grade: 13.8 12.1743820225 113% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 12.6 12.1639044944 104% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 8.79 8.38706741573 105% => OK
difficult_words: 162.0 100.480337079 161% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 13.5 11.8971910112 113% => OK
gunning_fog: 12.8 11.2143820225 114% => OK
text_standard: 14.0 11.7820224719 119% => OK
What are above readability scores?
---------------------
Write the essay in 30 minutes.
Better to have 5/6 paragraphs with 3/4 arguments. And try always support/against one side but compare two sides, like this:
para 1: introduction
para 2: reason 1. address both of the views presented for reason 1
para 3: reason 2. address both of the views presented for reason 2
para 4: reason 3. address both of the views presented for reason 3
para 5: reason 4. address both of the views presented for reason 4 (optional)
para 6: conclusion.
Rates: 66.67 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 4.0 Out of 6
---------------------
Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.